1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a computer network-based service and related user interfaces for reducing shipping charges.
2. Description of the Related Art
Manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, distribution centers, and other distributors of product or goods (which may collectively be referred to as distributors) typically maintain an inventory of various items that may be ordered by and shipped to clients or customers. This inventory may be maintained and processed at a materials handling facility or facilities such as distribution centers, cross-docking facilities, and order fulfillment facilities. FIG. 1 illustrates a broad view of the operation of a conventional distributor. Multiple customers 10 may submit orders 20 to the distributor, where each order 20 specifies one or more items from inventory 30 to be shipped to the customer that submitted the order. At order fulfillment 40, the orders may be processed by the enterprise to fulfill the customer orders 20. The one or more items specified in each order may be retrieved or “picked” from inventory 30 in the materials handling facility. The picked orders may then be packed and shipped 50 to the customers 10. Note that a shipped order does not necessarily include all of the items ordered by the customer; a shipped order may include only a subset of the ordered items available to ship at one time from one inventory-storing location. Typically, the customer is billed for the items(s) in the order and for charges related to shipping the order to the customer.
The increasing scope of electronic commerce (e-commerce), fueled by the ubiquity of personal computers, the Internet, and the World Wide Web, has resulted in striking changes to the ways customers may shop for and purchase products from distributors. Virtual storefronts, which may be referred to as “e-commerce Web sites”, in which customers may view product information including features, specifications, appearance, pricing, availability, have become commonplace even among wholesalers and retailers who have maintained physical customer presences (e.g., “brick-and-mortar” storefronts). Much commerce is already being conducted exclusively through e-commerce Web sites by product distributors lacking any other customer presence. Electronic commerce using virtual storefronts may offer many advantages, such as lower cost overhead (e.g., due to lack of sales personnel, lack of physical storefronts, highly automated ordering processes, etc.), and a potential customer base limited only by the reach of the Internet. A product distributor that provides a “storefront” for customers exclusively through an e-commerce Web site, or the portion of a product distributor that provides an e-commerce Web site for customers while the distributor maintains physical customer presences, may be referred to as an “e-commerce enterprise”.
FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary e-commerce enterprise that provides a “virtual storefront” to customers via an e-commerce Web site. Multiple customers 110, through access to the Internet 100, may order one or more items from the e-commerce enterprise 102 via an e-commerce Web site 104 (or Web sites) serving as a “virtual storefront” for the product distributor. The Web site 104 may generate orders 120 for the customers, where each order 20 specifies one or more items from inventory 130 to be shipped to the customer that submitted the order. The orders may be processed 140 by the product distributor to fulfill the customer orders 120. The one or more items specified in each order may be retrieved or “picked” from inventory 130 in a materials handling facility. The picked orders may then be packed and shipped 150 to the customers 110. Note that a shipped order does not necessarily include all of the items ordered by the customer; a shipped order may include only a subset of the ordered items available to ship at one time from one inventory-storing location. Typically, the customer is billed 106 for the items(s) in the order and for charges related to shipping the order to the customer.